Sheet material dispenser



Oct. 25, 1966 G. v. wooDLlNG 3,281,034

SHEET MATERIAL DISPENSER Filed March 29, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Oct. 25,1966 G. v. wooDLlNG SHEET MATERIAL DISPENSER :5 Sheets-Sheet 2 FiledMarch 29, 1965 INVENTOR.

GEURGE V. WOODL/NG BY WWW/M www f mi? Oct. 25, 1966 G. v.4wooDL|NG3,281,034

SHEET MATERIAL DISPENSER Filed March 29, 1965 5 sheets-sheet 6 INVENTOR.

GEORGE l. WOODL/NG United States Patent Oilice Patented Oct. 25, 19663,281,034 SHEET MATERXAL DISPENSER George V. Woodling, 22077 W. LakeRoad, Rocky River, Ohio 44116 Filed Mar. 29, 1965, Ser. No. 443,487 7Claims. (Cl. 22S-48) My invention relates to a dispenser and method fordispensing sheets of material which may be torn from a strip wound on asupply roll by tearing the strip along a transversely disposed tear-edgemeans. The invention more particularly relates to a dispenser and methodfor dispensing such materials which possess in their wound state on thesupply roll a resiliency tending to urge the free end portion thereof tounwind itself in a reverse ydirection from the supply roll and furthertending to overbalance gravity whereby, when a sheet has been torn fromthe strip, the next advanced free end portion will swing upwardly and-away from the tear-edge means and present itself for easy grasping forstarting the next dispensing operation. My invention particularly isuseful in dispensing aluminum foil and high grade resilient waxed paperor the combination of the foil and paper. Preferably, my invention maybe embodied in a handheld carton dispenser made of paperboard. In thisapplication, the new free end portion of the strip which presents itselfafter each sheet has been torn from the strip will be referre-d to asthe next advance free end portion.

There are many different types of hand-held carton dispensers on themarket, but all of them have their shortcomings. In these hand-helddispensers, most attention has been directed to the ease with which thecarton may be initially opened. On the other hand, very little attentionhas been given to the ease with which the strip of material may bedispensed into sheets after the carton is once opened. Each time a newsheet is dispensed, the housewife usually has to pick around in order toget hold on the next advanced free end portion of the strip for the nextdispensing operation.

An object of my invention is the provision of a dispenser and methodwhereby the next advanced free end portion of the strip readily andautomatically presents itself for easy grasping in starting the next-dispensing operation.

Another object is to take advantage of the resilient tendencies andbehavior of the strip of material being dispensed, as well as that ofthe paperboard from which the hand-held dispensers are m-ade.

Another object is the provision of a dispenser and method by whichnature aids in the dispensing operation rather than working against theoperation.

Another object is to control the dispensing operation so that there isno tendency for the torn edge of the next advanced free end portion ofthe strip to stick to the tearedge means.

Another object is to utilize resiliency to overcome gravity in thedispensing operation.

Another object is to locate the hinge for the lid on the hand-helddispenser at a place other than along a corner edge of the carton.

Another object is to separate the torn edge of the next advanced freeend portion of the strip from the tear-edge means.

Another object is the provision of a side wall panel disposed in advanceof the tear-edge means against which the strip may be pressed `and heldwhile a sheet is being torn from the strip.

Another object is to stabilize the unwinding of the supply roll duringthe dispensing operation by keeping it under a steady state unwindingcondition.

Another object is the provision of a hand-held carton dispenser having acover lid of a trunk-lid type which embraces substantially two sides ofthe carton dispenser and which also covers and protects the tear-edgemeans.

Another object is to press the withdrawn strip against the tear-edgemeans and thereby hold the same firmly while the strip is torn oi.

Another object is the provision, in a carton dispenser, of lid meanshaving a longitudinal panel edge portion position-able over saidtear-edge means and depressible against a withdrawn strip passing overthe tear-edge means for holding the strip against said tear-edge meanswhile the same is being torn off.

Another object is the provision, in a carton dispenser, of a trunk-lidwhich may be easily opened and closed by the simple exercise of thethumb during the dispensing operation.

Another object is to prevent the supply roll, within limits, fromrolling sidewise within the carton.

Another object is to prevent the supply roll from rolling sidewisewithin the carton dispenser by engaging the inside surface of the tubeupon which the strip is wound and holding same against `sidewisemovement.

Another object is to limit the amount that the next advanced -free endportion of the strip may swing away from the tear-edge means after asheet has been torn off.

Another object is to hold the strip in a steady state conditionthroughout a wide extent thereof when the same is being torn off.

Another object is to hold the strip in a steady state conditionthroughout a wide extent thereof against the tear-edge means when thesame is being torn olf.

Another object is to provide a high spa-ce above the tear-edge meansinto which the free end portion of the strip may present itself, wherebythe free end portion may be grasped without the possibility of cuttingones iinger on the tear-edge means when grasping the strip.

Another object is to remove one corner of the carton dispenser wherebythe tear-edge means may be positioned farther away from the free endportion of the strip, thereby facilitating the easy grasping of thestrip without the possibility of cutting ones finger on the tear-edgemeans.

Another object is to place the carton dispenser in an upside-downposition when storing the same on a shelf or in a cupboard when not inuse.

Another object is to protect the withdrawn end of the strip when thecarton-dispenser is placed on a shelf or in a cupboard when not in use.

Another object is the provision of hand-held carton dispenser which maybe initially opened easily.

Other objects'and a fuller understanding of the invention may be had byreferring to the following description and claims, taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a -top view of my hand-held carton dispenser showing theflange panel of the trunk-lid and the location of the glue spots whichare provided `on the underneath side of the flange panel of thetrunk-lid and which are disposed to be separated upon initially openingthe carton, `the View being substantially one-half the size of acarton-dispenser;

FIGURE 2 is a rear View of my hand-held carton dispense-r showing themain panel of 4the trunk-'lid and the location of the longitudinal hingetherefor at a place other than at a longitudinal corner of -the carton;

FIGURE 3 is a plan View of a paperboard blank from which my hand-heldcarton dispenser may be constructed;

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional View taken along the line 4 4 of FIGURE 1showing the trunk-lid in its closed position with the flanges panelcovering and protecting the tearedge means, the view being substantiallytwo times the sine of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional fragmentary view taken along the line 5-5of FIGURE 2, the View being substantially two times the size of FIGURE2;

FIGURE 6 is a top view of my hand-held carton dispenser looking upon theflange panel of the trunk-lid with certain par-ts removed and with otherparts shown in section to illustrate the invention in more detail;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken along the line 7-7of FIGURE 6, showing how hingable tab means are adapted to push upagainst the underneath side of the next advanced free end portion of thestrip for separating the ltorn edge thereof from the tear-edge means;

FIGURES 8 to 14, inclusive, are diagrammatical views showing how a stripof material is torn olf and dispensed, the FIGURES 12, 13 and 14beingdiagrammatical modications; and

FIGURES 15, 16 and 17, respectively, show structural features of thediagrammatical modification Views of FIG- URES 12, 13 and 14.

With reference to the drawings, and particularly FIG- URE 4, myhand-held carton dispenser comprises substantially a square box 20having a tear-edge means 50 and a lid 21 preferably of the trunk-lidtype which is hinged along a longitudinal hinge line 22. The size of thebox is made to accommodate supply rolls of various lengths anddiameters. The supply roll is identied by the reference character 24 andthe tube upon which the strip is wound is identified by the referencecharacter 25.

Viewing FIGURE 3 from the bottom to the top, the blank from which thebox 20 is made has a top side wall panel 26 with an inside flap 27, afront side wall panel 28, a bottom side wall lpanel 29, and a narrowback side wall panel 30 to which the trunk-lid 21 is hingably connectedalong the longitudinal hinge line 22. The trunk-lid 21 comprises a mainrear panel 31 and a top flange or lid panel 32. The top side wall panel26 has two end panels 35; the front side wall panel 28 has two endpanels 36; and the bottom side wall panel 29 has -two end panels 37. Thenarrow back side wall panel 30 has two small end tabs 39 which areadapted to be folded against and glued to the end panels (see FIGURE 5).The two ends of the box are folded alike; the end panel 35 is on theinside; the end panel 36 is in `the middle; and the end panel 37 is onthe outside (see FIGURE 6). These three end panels 35, 36 and 37 areglued together.

As shown in FIGURES 3, 4 and 6, the inside end panels 35 each have asubstantially semicircular end tab 44 hingably cut therefrom. These endtabs are not glued to the end panels but are integrally hinged about ahinge line 45 and thus are disposed to project into the insidediamenerof ythe tube 25 of the supply roll. The supply roll is thus held againstrolling sidewise within the carton by these end tabs 44.

The main panel 31 of the trunk-lid 21 has two downturned end flanges 40and the flange panel 32 of the trucklid 21 has two down-turned endflanges 41. The end flanges 40 and 41 at each end of the truck-lid arefolded against each other along the respective dotted fold lines 42 and43, and then they ane glued together to make the end flanges of thetrunk-lid. The end flange 40 is on the inside and the end flange 41 ison the outside (see FIG- URE 6). The top flange panel 32 of thetrunk-lid has a skirt 38 which extends beyond the end flanges 41 andoverlaps the -top side wall panel 26 as well as the tear-edge means 50.The longitudinal end terminal of the skirt comprises a longitudinalpanel edge portion 48 positionable over the tear-edge means 50 and isdepressible against a withdrawn strip passing over the tear-edge meansfor holding the strip in a steady state condition while it is being tornolf. The longitudinal panel edge portion 4S has a longitudinal edgewhich is identied by the reference character 33.

In the dispensing operation, the skirt 38 is depressed against both theside wall panel 26 and the tear-edge means 50 and thereby holds thewithdrawn strip rmly therebetween in a steady state condition, as thestrip is being torn olf. The pressure applied against the strip while itis being torn olf extends throughout a wide portion of the strip andfacilitates the easy tearing of Ithe strip. The firmness enables theoperator to make a clear and easy cut.

In order to stabilize the steady state unwinding condition of the supplyroll, the top side wall panel 26 is provided with an inside ap 27 whichis hingedly folded back on the panel 26 along a longitudinal hinge-foldline 49 which possesses a considerable amount of resiliency inherent inthe paperboard from which the carton is made. This ,resiliency pressesthe inside flap 27 against the outside Ilayer of Ithe supply roll (seeFIGURE 4). There is considerable give to the inside ap 27 and thus itcontinues -to press against the outside layer of the supply roll as thediameter becomes smaller through use. The inside flap 27 also acts tostrengthen or reinforce the top side wall panel 26 against curving orbending down too much, particularly in the longitudinal central regionthereof.

In general, my carton dispenser comprises an elongated box includingside Wall means and end wall means. The side wall means has at least rstand second substantially diagonally opposite longitudinal corners 46 and47 (see FIGURE 4). The tear-edge means 50, which preferably comprises athin metal strip having sharp teeth, is disposed along the longitudinalcorner 46. The top side wall panel 26 is disposed in advance of thetear-edge means 50 and the withdrawn strip of material from the supplyroll is disposed to pass over same before reaching the tear-edge means50. The top side wall panel 26 has iirst and second longitudinal edgeswhich define the width thereof. The rst longitudinal edge is connectedto the longitudinal corner 46 and the second longitudinal edgeconstitutes the longitudinal hinge-fold line 49 about which the insideflap 2.7 is folded back against the panel 26. The narraw back side Wallpanel 30 extends away from the longitudinal corner 47 in a directionsubstantially perpendicular to the top side wall panel 26. The narrowback side wall panel 30 has rst and second 1ongitudinal edges which denethe width thereof. The rst longitudinal edge is connected to thelongitudinal corner 47 and the second longitudinal edge constitutes thelongitudinal hinge line 22 to which the trunk-lid 21 is hingablyconnected. The longitudinal space between the longitudinal hinge line 22and the longitudinal hinge-fold line 49 define the sides of alongitudinal opening through which the supply roll may be mounted in thebox and from which the free end por tion of the strip may be withdrawn.The supply roll is disposed for rotation in the carton dispenser as thestrip is withdrawn therefrom. The main panel 31 of the trunk-lid 21,when closed, lies substantially in the same plane as the narrow backside wall panel 30 with the skirt 38 of the flange panel 32 overlappingthe top side wall panel 26 (see FIGURE 4). The longitudinal panel edgeportion 4S of the skirt 38 overlaps the tear-edge means 50 with thelongitudinal edge 33 slightly extending beyond the tear-edge means 50 toprotect the hand from being lcut thereby when handling the dispenser. Inshipping, the underneath surface of the skirt portion 38 of the angepanel 32 is glued to the outer surface of the top side wall panel 26 bymeans of glue spots 51, which may be readily separated in initiallyopening the carton dispenser.

When a sheet of material is torn from the strip wound on the supplyroll, the torn edge of the next advanced free end portion of the stripmay tend to stick in some instances to the tear-edge means 50. To assurethat this sticking is obviated, the top side Wall panel 26 is providedwith spring-like stripper tabs 54 which are hingably cut from the panel(see FIGURES 6 and 7). The free end of the stripper tabs 54 extendtoward the tear-edge means 50. By reason of the resiliency of thepaperboard of which the carton is made, these tabs tend to push upagainst the underneath surface of the next advanced free end portion ofthe strip and separate or release the torn edge from the tear-edge means50. Other means may be employed to separate the torn edge of the nextadvanced free end portion of the strip from the tear-edge means, but thestripper tabs operate automatically and are very eicient. In someinstances, without the stripper tabs, the torn edge of the next advancedfree end portion of the strip automatically becomes separated on its ownaccord from the tear-edge means 50. In other words, without the strippertabs, the sticking does not always occur following each tearingoperation, but when it does occur, the stripper tabs of my invention arealways available when needed.

In the method claims, the step which calls for Separating the torn edgeof the next advanced free end portion of the strip from the tear-edgeincludes both instances where the torn edge is separated from thetearedge on its own accord without the aid of the stripper tab means andwhen the torn edge is separated from the tear-edge means with the aid ofthe stripper tab means.

The dispensing operation may be explained with reference to FIGURES 8 to14, inclusive. In this description, it will be assumed that the cartondispenser will have been used at least once before and that the skirt 38of the flange panel 32 of the trunk-lid 21 has been separated trom thetop side wall panel 26 ot' the carton. This separating operation is asimple one, as the housewife has only to grasp the front edge 33 of theange panel 32 of the trunk-lid, which slightly overhangs the tear-edgemeans 50 and lifts up on the same, thus automatically separating theglue spots 51. The trunk-lid is now free to be raised, whereby thehousewife may gain access to the free end portion of the strip wound onthe supply roll. Under the assumption that the carton has been onceused, the next advanced free end portion of the strip, which is shown bya dash-dot line, is disposed between the outer .surface of the top sidewall panel 26 and the inner surface of the overlapping skirt portion 33of the ange panel 32 of the closed trunk-lid, as shown in FIGURE 8.

By reason of the inherent resiliency of the paperboard from which thecarton is made, the hinge-line 22 about which the trunk-lid 2 is hingedtends to spring or keep the trunk-lid in a partially held open positionwhen the carton is not in use, unless means are provided otherwise tohold the trunk-lid closed. One simple way to restrain the trunk-lid inits closed position when not in use is to place or store the carton inan upside-down position on a shelf or in a cupboard. The weight of thecarton and the supply roll thus hold the trunk-lid in its closedposition. Preferably, the carton dispenser may be placed on a shelf orin a cupboard in an upside-down position when not in use, as shown inFIGURE 8. The end tabs 44 function to keep the supply roll from fallingout of the carton when handling or when turning the carton upside-down.

In picking up the carton from a position as shown in FIGURE 8 v(whichwill normally be the position in which it is stored on a shelf or otherplace in a cupboard when not in use), the housewife will first place thecarton in her left hand, with the bottom side wall panel 29 resting uponthe four fingers and palm of the left hand while the forepart of theleft thumb is swung over the top surface of the flange panel 32 of thetrunk-lid for controlling its movements. The forepart of the left thumbwill normally engage the -top surface of the flange panel 32 in theregion where the arrows 65 are shown in FIGURES 9, 10 and 11. Thisposition is a natural position for the left thumb, free from any awkwardfeeling. The left-hand end of the carton as shown in FIGURE 1 will bepointing toward the body of the operator with the right-hand end thereofextending away from the body at an elevated position with respect to theleft-hand end. In other words, the carton is held in front of the bodyat an upwardly sloping position with respect to the horizontal. InFIGURES 10 and 11, the strip, as a result of its previous use, is shownleaving the supply roll along a transverse tangential line located inthe region above the level of the center of the supply roll, the endview of said line appearing as a dot indicated by the referencecharacter 52. The description will be made with reference to aright-handed person. For a left-handed person, the description will bethe same except that the FIGURES 8 to 14 will be in reverse, as thereverse end of the carton will be next to the body for a left-handedperson.

I-n dispensing a sheet of material, the operator raises the flange panel32 of the trunk-lid from the close-d position to the raised positionshown in FIGURE 9. The raising of the ange panel 32 ofthe trunk-lid isdone simply by operati-n-g the left thumb which is -a very naturalmovement. The inherent resiliency of the hinge-line 22 also aids thethumb in raising Ithe trunk-lid. In raising the llange pan-el 32 t-o aposition similar .to that shown in FIGURE 9, the next advanced free endportion of -t-he .strip of material will automatically rise along withthe skirt portion 38 of .the flange panel 32 of the trunklid `and occupya position similar to one of the three positions shown in FIGURE 9. Theraised strip has a natural curvature due to being wound on the supplyroll. Apparently the resiliency is the result of this curvature. Inother words, the mere raising of the flange panel 32 of the trunklidwill cause the next advanced free end portion of the strip to presentitself for easy grasping by the lingers and thumb of the right hand. Theraising of the next advanced free end portion of the strip does notdepend upon any physical engagement by the .trunk-lid. The next advancedfree end portion merely follows the travel ofthe skirt portion 38 of thefiange panel 32 of the tir-unkylid as it is raised. The natural positionat which the left ha-nd -tends to hold the carton vdispense-r `at thetime the `flange panel 32 of the trunk-lid is raised by the left thumbis substantially the same as that shown in FIGURE 9; namely, at acounter-clockwise :inclined position. Here, it is noted that the cartondispenser is normally held in a tilted counter-clockwise position fromthe horizontal so tha-t the tear-edge means 50 is positioned at least ata level where the next advanced free end portion of the strip, throughthe force of :its own resiliency in opposition to gravity, acts tounwind itself from the supply .roll in the reverse direction and at thelsame time shift the transverse tangential line from that at S2 inFIGURES l0 and 11 to that of a new location ,of 53 in FIGURE 9. In otherwords, the transverse tangential Iline at 52 is at a level above thecenter of the supply roll, whereas in FIGURE 9 the transverse tangentialline has been shifted to a new advanced location at 53 which is belowthe level of the center of the supply roll. The action which resultsfrom the resiliency of the str-ip is such that the next advanced freeend portion of the strip `is caused to swing as a cantilever about thenew transverse tangential line 53 in a direction gener-ally upwardly andaway from the tear-edge means 50 where it may be easily grasped by therigh-t hand for starting the dispensing operation.

When the flange panel 32 is raised to a wide open position as s-hown inFIGURE 9, the curvature of the strip tends to swing out and contact thehinge-line 2v2 which serves to support or stabilize the st-rip. Thehingeline 22 has the effect of reducing the length of the cantilever,with the result that the strip seems to extend more erect than it wouldotherwise do in the absence of the hinge-line 22. In the wide openposition of the trunklid in FIGURE 9, the hinge-line 22 also acts tostabilize the strip so that it does not hug too closely to the undersideof the flange panel 32 of the trunk-lid, thus leaving a spacetherebetween whereby the fingers and thumb of the right hand may easilygrasp the end thereof. In addition, the hinge-line 22, since it isspaced from the corner 7 47, has the effect of shortening the swing ofthe trunk-lid.

In some instances, the torn edge of the next advanced free end portionof the strip may tend ,to stick to the tear-edge means 50. In thisevent, the stripper tabs 54 will act to separate or release the tornedge, whereupon the released strip will then swing upwardly from thetearedge means where it may be readily grasped by the right hand forwithdrawing same. Thus, with my carton d-ispense-r, the next advancedfree end portion of the strip may be caused to swing as a cantileverabout the new transverse tangential line by tilting or rocking thecarto-n, whereby the next advanced free end portion of the strip may beeasily 'grasped for starting the nex-t dispensing ope-ration.

With aluminum foil, it is found that the next advanced free end portionof the strip will begin to swing upwardly and away from the tear-edgemeans when the carton is so tilted that the tear-edge means 50 ispositioned at least at a level above the center of the supply roll. Inother words, the force lof the resiliency begins to overcome gravitywhen the car-ton is tilted to a position where the tear-edge means 50 isat least at a level above the center of .the supply roll. Of course, thehigher the tear-edge means 50 is raised or tilted, such as for exa-mple,where the tearedge means `'50 is at least at a level above the top ofthe supply lroll in FIGURE 9, the more the resiliency will overcomegravity and thus the higher the next advanced free e-nd portion willelevate itself. Thus, with my carton dispenser, the next advanced freeend portion readily and automatically presents itself f-or easy graspingby the right hand to start the dispensing operation by the mere raisingof Ithe flange panel 32 of the trunk-lid by the yleft thumb, as shown inFIGURE 9.

After lthe operator has .grasped with her right hand the next advancedfree end portion, it may then be tangentially withdrawn from the supplyroll, as s-h-own in FIG- URE l0. In withdrawing Ithe next advanced freeend port-i-on of the stnip from the supply roll, there is a naturaltendency for the left thumb to close the trunk-lid slightly as shown -inFIGURE 10. The withdrawn strip first passes over `the curved edge Iofthe hinge-fold line 49, then over the top side wall panel 26, and lastlythe tear-edge means 50, until a given length yoverhangs the tear-edgemeans 50, at which time the left thumb now closes the skirt portion 38of the flange panel 32 down against the top side wall panel 26 with thewithdrawn strip held therebetween in a steady state condition (seeFIGURE 11). The pressure of the left thumb (see -arrows 65 in FIGURE 11)against lthe flange panel 32 of the trunk-lid, 4arrests the furtheradvance of the withdrawn strip. With the left thumb still pressing -downon the flan-ge panel 32 of the trunk-lid, the overhanging length of thestrip is severed into a separate sheet from that of the supply roll bypulling the withdrawn strip against the tea-redge means 50 until thestrip is completely torn thereacross. The arresting of the furtheradvance of the strip by the downward pressure of the left thumb upon theflange panel 32 of the trunk-lid holds Vthe withdrawn strip in a steadystate condition while the sheet is being torn off. Under a steady statecondition, the tear is clean-cut, free from any signs of a ragged edge.When the separate sheet has been torn off, the carton dispenser may bestored away upon a shelf or in Ia cupboard in the position shown inFIGURE 8, where it 'is ready for the next dispensing oper-ation. Thus,with my car-ton dispenser, the housewife need not pick around in aneffort to get hold of the next advanced free end portion of the strip inorde-r to get it started for 'the next dispensing operation.

Preferably, the supply roll is prevented from rolling sidewise by theend tabs 44. As an alternative, the end tabs 44 may be dispensed with,in which case the narrow back side wall panel 30 will within limi-tsprevent such sidewise roll. In the absence of the end tabs 44, shouldthe housewife happen to raise the trunkalid too high by 8 til-ting ortwisting the carton dispenser in a counter-clockwise :direction -too farwhere the corner 47 is considerably below the level of .the bottom ofthe supply roll, the narrow back side wall panel 30 will act as anobstruction and prevent the supply roll from rolling sidewise out oft-he longitudinal opening upon the inside surface of the main panel 31'of the trunk-lid which it would otherwise tend to do if the trunk-lidwere hinged along :the longitudinal corner 47.

The withdrawn strip upon leaving the supply roll at the transversetangential line at 52, rst passes over the curved edge of the hinge-foldline 49 before it reaches the tear-edge means 50 (see FIGURE 11). As itpasses over the curved edge of the hinge-fold line 49, the strip iscaused to make a bend thereat. Preferably, the bend should not be tooabrupt, because a sharp bend will end to destroy the natural curvatureof the withdrawn strip. The bend should not be so sharp as to kink thenatural curvature because if it does, the next advanced free end portionof the strip will tend to droop instead of flexing away from thetear-edge means 50. Preferably, the inside included angle at the bendshould be greater than degrees. In the drawings, the inside includedangle is approximately degrees.

As a further means to keep the next advanced free end portion fromdrooping whereby the length of the withdrawn strip beyond the kinkbecomes substantially dead weight, the width of the top side wall panel26 is preferably about the sarne as the radius of the supply roll, orpossibly less. Extra width to the panel 26 will increase the length ofthe drooped portion and add to the dead weight. To overcome this extradead weight, the carton is required to be tilted an excessive amountcounter-clockwise in order to make the next advanced free end portion ofthe strip to swing away from the tear-edge means 50 whereby it may beeasily grasped for starting the dispensing operation.

In FIGURES 12 and 15, the skirt portion 38 of the flange panel 32 isshown as being foreshortened. The new longitudinal edge is identified bythe reference character 34. The skirt portion may be foreshortened byproviding a longitudinal tear-line at 34, so that when the housewife isinitially opening the carton at the time she is separating the gluespots 51, she simply tears the advanced edge portion of the skirtportion off along the tearline 34. The torn-off skirt portion is thusdiscarded. The FIGURE 15 shows fragmentary structural features of thediagrammatical view of FIGURE 12. The View is principally an end View ofthe carton showing a modified end panel construction having a firststepped edge 63, a second elevated stepped edge 64, and a Verticalhooked edge 66 therebetween which serves as a catch for the flange panel32 to hold it closed. The stepped edge 63 represents an end View of theouter surface ofthe top side wall panel 26 and is at the same level asthe outer surface of the top side wall panel 26 shown in the previousviews. The elevated stepped edge 64 is at an elevated level whereby whenthe flange panel 32 is held closed by the catch, it is still partiallyopen with respect to the top side wall panel 26. In other words, theunderneath surface of the flange panel 32 rests on top of the elevatedstepped edge 64 which leaves a narrow longitudinal slit or opening 67through which the strip may be withdrawn from the supply roll withoutraising the trunklid each time a sheet is torn off and dispensed. Thewidth of the slit or opening 67 may be in the neighborhood of 1/16 to1/18 of an inch. With this range of dimensions, the central longitudinalportion of the flange panel 32 which is flexible may still be depressedagainst the top side wall panel 26 for holding the strip therebetweenwhen a sheet is being torn off. The opposite ends of the flange panel 32next adjacent to the end flanges thereof are provided with slots 68which latch over the vertical hooked edges 66 for holding the trunk-lidclosed against the elevated stepped edges 64. In opening the trunk-lid,it is only necessary to lift up on the longitudinal edge 34 until theflange panel is unlatched from the vertical hooked edges, whereupon thetrunk-lid may be swung open. The vertical hooked edges are relativelystiff and sturdy and will not readily become mutilated as the panelconstruction is three panels thick, namely, panels 35, 36 and 37. Inthis carton dispenser of FIGURES 12 and 15, the trunklid is normallyheld in a partially open position with respect to the top side wallpanel 26 whereby the next advanced free end portion of the strip isresiliently disposed in an elevated position above the top side wallpanel 26 for easy grasping in starting the next dispensing operation.

In using the carton dispenser of FIGURES 12 and 15, the housewife neednot raise the trunk-lid each time she wants to tear off a sheet as inFIGURE 9, because the next advanced free end portion is already disposedin an elevated position to be grasped when she picked up the dispenserfor use. In FIGURE 12, the longitudinal edge 34 of the flange panel 32restrains the free end portion of the strip from swinging as far awayfrom the tear-edge means as it does in FIGURE 9. Because of thisrestraint, the transverse tangential line, indicated at 55 in FIGURE 12,is held in a position in the region above the level of the center of thesupply roll.

Thus, the carton dispenser of FIGURES 12 and 15 may be stored by thehousewife on a shelf or in a cupboard with the end of the Withdrawnstrip exposed, so that when she picks up the carton-dispenser again foruse, the exposed strip is already in an elevated position to be graspedfor starting the next dispensing operation.

FIGURES 13 and 16 represent a modification of the carton dispenser shownin FIGURES 12 and 15, in that the tear-line 34 in FIGURES 12 and 15 isreplaced by a longitudinal hinge-line 57, in which -case the skirtportion 38 is not discarded but is hingably retained as a flap member 61which may be depressed by the thumb to hold the strip of material in asteady state condition while a sheet is being torn off. In FIGURES 13and 16, the flap member 61 is preferably reinforced to make it stifferby providing a double thickness thereto. The double thickness isprovided by folding an extra panel S6 back against the skirt portion 38about a longitudinal fold line 60. The panel 56 and the skirt portion 38are preferably glued together. In all respects, the dispensing operationof the carton dispenser in FIGURES 13 and 16 is substantially the sameas that for the lcarton dispenser in FIGURES 12 and 15, in that the nextadvanced free end portion of the strip is always ready in elevatedposition for use without raising the trunk-lid. The carton dispenser ofFIGURES 13 and 16 may be stored upsidedown, in which case the flapmember 61 protects the next advanced free end portion of the strip aswell as the tearedge means 50.

FIGURES 14 and 17 show a modification of the carton dispenser in FIGURES13 and 16, in that the longitudinal corner 46 of the carton dispenserhas been cut off on an angle, whereby the tear-edge means 50 is loweredto give more room to grasp the free end portion of the strip. Theleft-hand longitudinal edge portion of the top side wall panel 26 isstill retained in its normal flat position, but the remainder of thepanel has been replaced by a longitudinal sloping panel 58 having thestripper tabs 54 provided thereon. In shipping, the flap member 61 isattached to the sloping panel 58 by a series of longitudinal spaced gluespots which may be readily separated by lifting up on the flap member.The flap member 61 is long enough to overlap the tear-edge means 50 toprotect same. The operati-on of the carton of FIGURES 14 and 17 is thesame as that for the carton in FIGURES 13 and 16, except that there is ahigher longitudinal space to give more room in which to grasp the nextadvanced free end portion. In FIGURES 14 and 17, the longitudinal corner46, even though it is cut off at an angle, is Astill considered to besubstantially diagonally opposite the corner 47, as specied in some ofthe claims. In the drawings, the sloping panel 58 makes an insideincluded angle with respect to the front side wall panel 28 ofapproximately 120 degrees. Preferably, the inside included angle mayreside in a range of approximately to 140 degrees.

Preferably, the carton in FIGURES 14 and 17 may be tilted at anincreased angle in a counter-clockwise direction over that in theprevious figures in order to elevate the next advanced free end portionof the strip so that it may resiliently swing away from the tearedgemeans 50.

In the method claims, the step of positioning the advanced free endportion of the strip to at least a level where the released stripthrough the force of its own resiliency acts to unwind itself from thesupply roll in a reverse direction etc. follows the step of separatingthe torn edge of the next advanced free end portion of the strip fromthe tear-edge. In practice, the step of positioning may precede any oneor all the other steps, in that the act of positioning may becontinuously occurring while the previous steps are being carried out.Even though the step of positioning may have taken place While theprevious steps were being carried out, the method claims are to beconstrued as covering this situation, notwithstanding the fact that thestep of positioning follows the step of separating The sequence isimportant only to the extent that the step of positioning must at leastbe in existence after the step of separating In all of applicantsdispensing operations, the resiliency of the strip of material isutilized to facilitate the easy grasping of the next advanced free endportion. In those dispensing operations Where the trunk-lid is openedand then closed each time a sheet is torn oif, the resiliency isutilized to cause the free end portion of the strip to follow theopening of the trunk-lid whereby the strip presents itself for easygrasping. Here, the inside surface of the trunk-lid constitutes a stopor limit surface beyond which the resilient strip cannot swing. In thosedispensing operations where the trunk-lid is held partially open withrespect to the top side wall panel 26, the resiliency is utilized tocause the free end portion of the strip to er1- gage a longitudinaledge, such as the longitudinal edge 34 in FIGURES 12 and 15, and thelongitudinal hinge-line 57 in FIGURES 13 `and 16 and FIGURES 14 and 17.In these figures, the longitudinal edge or hinge-line constitutes a stopor limit surface beyond which the resilient strip cannot swing. Thus,all of my carton dispensers employ stop or limit means beyond which theresilient strip may not swing. The act of limiting the extent to whichthe resilient strip may swing is a part of the method. As pointed outbefore, the hinge-line 22 also acts to limit the amount that the freeend portion of the strip may swing.

In the method claims, the term material includes such materials whichpossess in their wound state on the supply roll a resiliency which tendsto urge the next advanced free end p-ortion thereof to unwind itself ina reverse direction from the supply roll and further which tends toover-balance gravity. Aluminum foil is included within the term materialSo also is high grade resilient waxed paper, or the combination of foiland paper.

The present disclosure includes that contained in the appended claims aswell as that of the foregoing description.

Although this invention has been described in its preferred form andpreferred practice with a certain degree of particularity, it isunderstood that the present dis-closure of the preferred form andpreferred practice has been made only by Way of example and thatnumerous changes in the details of construction and combination andarrangement of parts and steps may be resorted to without departing fromthe spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. A carton dispenser having tear-edge means by which sheets may be tornfrom the free end portion 0f a `strip wound on a supply roll mountedwit-hin the carton dispenser and by which the nextadvanced free endportion of Ithe strip may swing away from the tear-edge means whereby itmay be easily grasped for starting the next dispensing operation, saidcarton dispenser comprising an elongated hollow box including side wallmeans and end wall means, said side wall means having at least first andsecond substantially diagonally opposite longitudinal corners and alongitudinal opening through which said supply roll may be -mounted insaid box, said box having at least rst and second opposed sides andthird and fourth opposed sides with said rst and third sides meeting todene said first longitudinal corner and with said second and fourthsides rmeeting to dene said second longitudinal corner, said tear-edgemeans disposed along said first corner, said side wall means alsoincluding at least irst and second side wall panels with each panelhaving irst land second edges, said rst side wall panel lyingsubstantially in a plane of said third side of said box and beingdisposed in advance of said tear-edge means with said first edge thereofbeing connected to said rst corner and with said second edge thereofdefining one side lof said longitudinal opening, said second side wallpanel lying substantially in the plane of said second side of said boxand extending away from said second corner in a direction toward saidthird side of said box with said rst edge of said second panel beingconnected to said second corner and with said second edge thereofdefining the other side of said longitudinal opening, said second edgeof said first side wal-1 panel and said second edge of said second sidewall panel being spaced apart from each other and delining the width ofsaid longitudinal opening having a dimension greater than the diameterof said supply roll, and a lid member having a main panel and a flangepanel, said main panel being hingedly 'connected to said second edge ofsaid second side w-all panel and when closed lying substantially in thesame plane as said second side wall panel with said flange paneloverlapping said rst side wall panel, said second side wall panel andsaid main panel of said lid constituting said second side of said box.

2. The structure of claim 1, wherein said first side wall panel has awidth approximately the same as the radius of the supply roll wherebysaid withdrawn strip in passing over said second edge of said iirst sidewall panel makes a bend having an inside included angle greater than 130degrees.

3. The structure of claim 1, wherein said box has limit means againstwhich said next advanced free end portion of the strip may engage tolimit the extent to which it may swing away from the tear-edge means.

4. The` structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said lid means has alongitudinal edge spaced from said 'rst side wall panel and dening withsaid rst side wall panel a longitudinal opening through which said freeend portion of said strip may be withdrawn, said limit means includingsaid longitudinal edge.

5. The structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said lid means has aninside surface, said limit means including said inside surface `of saidlid means in its open position.

6. The structure of claim 1, wherein said side wall panels also includesa third side wall panel meeting with said rst side wall panel and deningsaid rst longitudinal corner, said rst land third side Wall panels atsaid first longitudinal corner having an inside included angle residingin a range from approximately to 140 degrees.

7. The structure 0f claim 1, wherein said end wall means has tab meanshingedly connected thereto .and extending Within the supply roll to holdsaid supply roll within said box.

References Cited by the Examiner y UNITED STATES PATENTS `1,650,31811/1927 Boughner 225-49 X 1,917,376 7/1933 Lee et al 225--48 X 2,458,8441/ 1949 Foote 225-48 X 2,507,404 5/1950 Gluck 22S-50 X 2,522,253` 9/1950 Broeren et al 22S-43 2,936,937 5/ 1960 Guyer 22S-48 3,002,667 10/1961 Buttery 22S-48 3,118,581 1/1964 Finke 225--48 X 3,128,025 4/ 1964Buttery 22S-48 3,227,340 1/ 1966 Haley 225--52 WILLIAM W. DYER, JR.,Primary Examiner.

I. M. MEISTER, Assistant Examiner.

1. A CARTON DISPENSER HAVING TEAR-EDGE MEANS BY WHICH SHEET MAY BE TORNFROM THE FREE END PORTION OF A STRIP WOUND ON A SUPPLY ROLL MOUNTEDWITHIN THE CARTON DISPENSER AND BY WHICH THE NEXT ADVANCED FREE ENDPORTION OF THE STRIP MAY SEING AWAY FROM THE TEAR-EDGE MEANS WHEREBY ITMAY BE EASILY GRASPED FOR STATRING THE NEXT DISPENSING OPERATION, SAIDCARTON DISPENSER COMPRISING AN ELONGATED HOLLOW BOX INCLUDING SIDE WALLMEANS AND END WALL MEANS, SAID SIDE WALL MEANS HAVING AT LEAST FIRST ANDSECOND SUBSTANTIALLY DIAGONALLY OPPOSITE LONGITUDINAL CORNERS AND ALONGITUDINAL OPENING THROUGH WHICH SAID SUPPLY ROLL MAY BE MOUNTED INSAID BOX, SAID BOX HAVING AT LEAST FIRST AND SECOND OPPOSED SIDES ANDTHIRD AND FOURTH OPPOSED SIDES WITH SAID FIRST AND THIRD SIDES METTINGTO DEFINE SAID FIRST LONGITUDINAL CORNER AND WITH SAID SECOND AND FOURTHSIDES MEETING TO DEFINE SAID SECOND LONGITUDINAL CORNER, SAID TEAR-EDGEMEANS DISPOSED ALONG ITS FIRST CORNER, SAID SIDE WALL MEANS ALSOINCLUDING AT LEAST FIRST AND SECOND SIDE WALL PANELS WITH EACH PANELHAVING FIRST AND SECOND EDGES, SAID FIRST SIDE WALL PANEL LYINGSUBSTANTIALLY IN A PLANE OF SAID THIRD SIDE OF SAID BOX AND BEINGDISPOSED IN ADVANCE OF SAID TEAR-EDGE MEANS WITH SAID FIRST EDGE THEREOFBEING CONNECTED TO SAID FIRST CORNER AND WITH SAID SECOND EDGE THEREOFDEFINING ONE SIDE OF SAID LONGITUDINAL OPENING, SAID SECOND SIDE WALLPANEL LYING SUBSTANTIALLY IN THE PLANE OF SAID SECOND SIDE OF SAID BOXAND EXTENDING AWAY FROM SAID SECOND CORNER IN A DIRECTION TOWARD SAIDTHIRD SIDE OF SAID BOX WITH SAID FIRST EDGE OF SAID SECOND PANEL BEINGCONNECTED TO SAID SECOND CORNER AND WITH SAID SECOND EDGE THEREOFDEFINING THE OTHER SIDE OF SAID LONGITUDINAL OPENING, SAID SECOND EDGEOF SAID FIRST SIDE WALL PANEL AND SAID SECOND EDGE OF SAID SECOND SIDEWALL PANEL BEING SPACED APART FROM EACH OTHER AND DEFINING THE WIDTH OFSAID LONGITUDINAL OPENING HAVING A DIMENSION GREATER THAN THE DIAMETEROF SAID SUPPLY ROLL, AND A LID MEMBER HAVING A MAIN PANEL AND A FLANGEPANEL, SAID MAIN PANEL BEING HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO SAID SECOND EDGE OFSAID SECOND SIDE WALL PANEL AND WHEN CLOSED LYING SUBSTANTIALLY IN THESAME PLANE AS SAID SECOND SIDE WALL PANEL WITH SAID FLANGE PANELOVERLAPPING SAID FIRST SIDE WALL PANEL, SAID SECOND SIDE WALL PANEL ANDSAID MAIN PANEL OF SAID LID CONSTITUTING SAID SECOND SIDE OF SAID BOX.